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The NZ Breakers celebrated a night to cap all celebrations so
far with their annual awards dinner in Auckland tonight.

Looking back on a third championship in a row, the franchise
also bid farewell to head coach Andrej Lemanis and veteran forward
Dillon Boucher.

It was an emotional night for those reasons, with standing
ovations and heartfelt speeches the order of proceedings.

The big winner on the night though was Cedric Jackson who
fittingly took out a trifecta of awards on a night when a third
consecutive championship was being toasted, the American named
MVP's Most Valuable Player (members vote), Players' Player of the
Year, and the top award, the club MVP.

Other awards were presented to club physio Anousith Bouaaphone
(Clubman of the Year) and Tai Webster (Paul Henare Award for Young
Players) while each player was presented with their playing singlet
and gift from directors Paul and Liz Blackwell.

It was always going to be a charged moment, when both Boucher
and Lemanis said their final goodbyes as player and head coach
respectively of the club.

Boucher is a foundation player who returned to the club and
Lemanis bowed out after eight years in charge to take on the
Australian national team coaching role.

For both their commitment to the club and value as people to the
organisation and the community was acknowledged with the retirement
of Boucher's number 24 and the announcement of Lemanis as a life
member of the club.

Boucher joins his former team-mate in Paul Henare in having that
honour bestowed upon him, while Lemanis joins a select club of two
alongside Dennis Jones as being named life members of the club as
they celebrate 10 years of history.

But it was not all about the past, the dinner was a chance for
the club to officially welcome Dean Vickerman as the new head coach
of the club, an honour he was humbled and proud to take on.

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"Wow! That was my first reaction once the deal was all signed,"
said Vickerman.

"I look at my own journey and I have bounced around New Zealand,
Australia and Singapore to get experience for this role, now I have
reached it, it all starts again.

"This is the dream job, the support around this team and
coaching staff is second to none. You are given every opportunity
with this team to be successful and we have been in a position to
win three championships.

"For me now to take that over and try to win another one is an
amazing challenge but one the whole club is up for.

"My immediate focus is to build our coaching team. Judd Flavell
will be a huge part of that in his academy and offensive
coordinator roles, but there are a couple of others to include on
the coaching staff, I aim to get them sorted out quickly.

"Player-wise, we don't have much to fill, that will play out
over time. We had two fantastic imports this year; those guys are
in the mix for next year."

The club enjoyed a great night together for the last time this
season as players head to their NBL clubs, off on breaks in the off
season or in the case of Will Hudson and Cedric Jackson, back home
to the States and for Jackson a shot at a return to the NBA.